WATCH | J&K CM Omar Abdullah scaled barricades to reach Martyrs' graveyard amid security curbs

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accompanied by former CM Dr. Farooq Abdullah and other ministers of the National Conference (NC) government, made a dramatic and forceful entry into the Martyrs' graveyard in Srinagar on Monday. The visit, intended to pay tributes to those killed on July 13, 1931, by the Dogra Maharaja’s forces, led to physical grappling with security personnel who were imposing restrictions on the site.

CM Omar Abdullah posted a video on X depicting security forces attempting to physically block his access to the graveyard. He asserted his right to offer 'Fateha' prayers, stating he was "doing nothing unlawful or illegal" and questioning the legal basis for the security forces' actions.

Despite authorities disallowing all applications for permission to visit the graveyard and imposing city-wide restrictions for the day, Omar Abdullah, his father Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary, CM’s advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, and other NC ministers reached the Martyrs Graveyard in Old City Srinagar. There, they offered prayers and laid flowers at the graves of those who died in the 1931 firing by prison guards, an event linked to a mob storming the central jail during Abdul Qadeer's trial for inciting unrest against the Dogra Maharaja's rule.

NC leaders, including CM Omar Abdullah, had previously taken to X to claim that people were being "locked" inside their homes to prevent them from visiting the graveyard. Education Minister Sakina Itoo notably arrived at the site as a pillion rider on a scooter, as her official vehicle was barred entry.

While CM Omar Abdullah’s cavalcade initially moved unhindered towards the graveyard, he personally dismounted near the site, scaled a barricade, and grappled with deployed security personnel to gain entry. He reiterated on X that he "was not going to be stopped today" from paying his respects.

Historically, July 13 was observed as a government holiday in Jammu and Kashmir until August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abolished, and the state was bifurcated into two Union Territories. Following this, both July 13 and December 5 (the birthday of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) were removed from the official list of holidays. The NC government has since demanded the restoration of both these significant dates as public holidays.

With inputs from IANS